Arachnodactyly is a medical condition that causes finger deformities, resulting in long and thin fingers. It can be congenital or develop after birth and is often a symptom of an underlying disease. Marfan syndrome, Beals syndrome, homocystinuria, and cystathionine beta synthase deficiency can all cause arachnodactyly and should be diagnosed and treated early to prevent physical and mental harm.
Arachnodactyly is a medical condition that causes finger deformities. This condition is also known as achromachy and spider fingers, because it causes the fingers to grow disproportionately long and thin compared to the rest of the hand. Arachnodactyly can be a congenital condition, meaning that a child is born with this finger deformity, or it can develop after birth in infancy or adulthood. In the latter case, the disease is referred to as congenital contractural arachnodactyly.
The main symptom of this condition is simply the appearance of the fingers. They are very long and thin and can even be slightly curved. In some people, the fingers may be unusually flexible, allowing the fingers to be bent back up to 180 degrees. Arachnodactyly is generally an indication of an underlying disease that is causing the fingers to grow abnormally.
Many people have long, thin fingers; this physical feature does not always indicate that someone has arachnodactyly. While this is a normal physical feature in most cases, seeing a doctor is still important, particularly if the condition develops in childhood or adulthood. This is because arachnodactyly usually indicates the presence of a more serious medical condition.
There are several distinct conditions that can cause a child to be born with arachnodactyly or to develop this physical characteristic early in life. One of them is Marfan syndrome, a genetically inherited disease that causes a defect in the connective tissue. Children born with Marfan syndrome are usually tall for their age, with long limbs and fingers. These children are at risk of developing heart and lung defects.
A related condition called Beals syndrome, Beals-Hecht syndrome, or congenital contractual arachnodactyly, is also a genetic disorder that causes defects in connective tissue. Children with this condition have similar physical characteristics to those with Marfan syndrome, with long, slender fingers. In addition, children with Beals syndrome are restricted in their movements, because their defective connective tissue prevents many joints from straightening, including the fingers and toes, ankles, knees, hips, and elbows.
Children can also develop arachnodactyly if they are born with homocystinuria or cystathionine beta synthase deficiency. This genetically inherited condition affects the metabolism of an amino acid called methionine. Children with homocystinuria are unable to metabolize methionine, causing this amino acid to accumulate to toxic levels. Identifying physical characteristics include long, thin limbs and fingers, knee strikes, high arches, and vision problems. If not diagnosed and treated early, homocystinuria can cause intellectual disability and cardiovascular problems.
Medical conditions that produce arachnodactyly as a symptom tend to be serious in nature. If left untreated, any of the above conditions can cause serious physical or mental harm. For this reason, a child who develops arachnodactyly should be examined by a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause of the condition.
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